This, by far, is the most impactful thing we do in Cofradia United! A spiritually healthy Pastor will be able to lead a healthy marriage and have a healthy family. It is foundational to a healthy church and community.
My passion is to help pastors keep the right focus that allows them to be successful in the specific callings they have received from the Lord. I love it when pastors express growth and a deepening of their own personal relationships with the Lord and their spouse. It is amazing to me to hear so many stories of pastors who have been forgotten by their leadership or treated without love. There are many that fit into this category who do not form part of our team; our hearts go out to them. We have never asked any of these pastors to be part of our ministry; all of them have asked if they could become part of our family.
As for this retreat, it is for our team, the Cofradia United Pastors. Some have history like I've mentioned, but all are living in the freedom of the love and grace God provides. Truth mixed with grace is a sweet savor to life. I heard someone say once that "truth without grace is mean; grace without truth is meaningless."
This year we returned to the same place as last year, the cabins called "Cabañas Mis Amores" en Mazatán, Nayarit. If you ever would like a weekend getaway from your vacation near Puerto Vallarta, this is the place to come. It is secluded, comfortable, beautiful, and the food is delicious!!
We arrived on Friday afternoon and gathered around to talk about the purpose of our time and I shared with them about not neglecting "The Secret Place" we have with the Lord. My approach is not to preach to them, but give them guidance to hear from the Lord. I chose 1 Kings 6:1-10 and 1 Samuel 31:1-7 and had them spend some time alone with the Lord...
When we all came back and met for dinner, our conversation was all about what we gleaned from those two passages in regards to "The Secret Place". Most of the pastors saw exactly what the Lord showed me (I didn't even have to preach to them!). The Lord spoke to each one individually and shared how they were impacted...that excites me!!
The next morning, we met together to talk about "The Power of the Word 'No'". This was a very helpful time as many of us start doing things or making commitments that really don't align with the vision God has given us. Some of these "things" might be good things, but if we don't know how to say "no", we need to consider what the Lord asked us to do in the first place. Saying "yes" to everything usually means we have no vision.
We enjoyed a very delicious breakfast together and spent the afternoon resting and reflecting on the morning's teaching before gathering again before dinner.
After dinner both nights, we spent some time around the campfire talking, worshiping, and playing games.
Everyone expressed deep heart-felt gratitude for this time. Time well spent; time well needed. I believe these times are essential for all ministers. Get away, unplug, take some time to rest, reflect, and get refreshed.
Here is what one of our pastors wrote:
What a joy and what a beautiful blessing to have a spiritual family like La Cofradia United. The love of God can be felt in each of them in such a sincere way, without prejudice and with the desire to be more like Christ.
We look forward to this pastoral retreat every year with great enthusiasm. It helps us to disconnect a little, to look inside and reflect what part of our life must be renewed, and to recharge the battery to continue with the call that God has given to us.
Let us continue to know the Lord more every day in The Secret Place, that is where the key to success is, to know Jesus more and to look more like Him.
A BIG THANK YOU to those who partnered with us specifically towards this retreat. Since we did not reach our budget goal (which we actually surpassed), if you give to our general fund at Cofradia United, you have partnered with us. This is where your money is going! Impacting Pastors lives, impacting their marriages, impacting their families, impacting their churches and their communities! A healthy pastor ultimately leads to a healthy church!
The dates are set and reservations are made for next year: February 5-7, 2027. Our Pastors' Retreat 2027 budget is $4,000 US Dollars. Please consider becoming a regular giver towards this ministry. We could not do this without your help.
If you would prefer to write a check, please send to:
Cofradia United USA
PO Box 91
Tracyton, WA 98393
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
